Arsenal and Chelsea learn Victor Osimhen price tag, Erik ten Hag safe for now at Manchester United – Paper Round

The prospect of Victor Osimhen signing a new contract at Napoli means Arsenal and Chelsea will soon learn what it will take to prise the striker away from Italy, Football.London reports.

After transfer expert Fabrizio Romano stated that Napoli’s new contract for the Nigerian would feature a release clause of £112m (€130m), the report claims Arsenal and Chelsea will have little choice but to pay this amount if they want to sign the 24-year-old.

Football.London adds: “The Nigerian international featured 32 times for Napoli in the Serie A last season, scoring 26 goals in a campaign that saw him win the Golden Boot and earn the club the Scudetto for the first time in over 30 years. Since then, the star has been on the radar of every top club in Europe but has more often been linked with both London clubs alongside Brentford striker Ivan Toney.

“Over the past few weeks, reports have continued to suggest that both the Blues and the Gunners are gearing up for bids on the star despite Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis' continued talk about a new deal between Osimhen and the club.”

Erik ten Hag’s future at Manchester United is safe for now but long term it could be under threat, the Telegraph reports, following their exit from the UEFA Champions League – and Europe entirely.

United’s season could go from bad to worse when they travel to Liverpool on Sunday, and while the report claims there is no appetite to sack Ten Hag currently, his position will become “increasingly vulnerable once Sir Jim Ratcliffe takes control of football operations unless there is a dramatic improvement on the pitch after a torrid past few months”.

The Telegraph adds: “It remains to be seen how tolerant Ratcliffe’s Ineos Sport group will be - they have overseen the departure of five managers in four years at Nice, the French club they own - amid what are thought to be serious concerns at United’s shocking slump and dismal recruitment.

“United’s existing hierarchy have been sympathetic to the injury crisis with which Ten Hag has had to contend and which has worsened again ahead of Liverpool.

“Despite losing seven Premier League matches, they also feel Champions League qualification remains in reach with United just six points adrift of the top four and in a comparable position to Newcastle.”

Raphael Varane could leave Manchester United as a free agent in the summer after The Athletic learned his contract expires one year earlier than previously thought. The Frenchman would therefore be free to discuss a move abroad with clubs from January.

It was thought 30-year-old Varane, who joined from Real Madrid in 2021, signed a deal until 2025, but the terms of his contract state the final year is optional – a factor that increases his chances of leaving Old Trafford.

The Athletic adds: “United could opt to allow Varane to go on a free if they wished to save a year of his salary, which equates to around £13m.

“The exact terms of the plus one are unclear but it is usually either based on the player making a set number of appearances or, when such a clause does not exist, the club simply making a decision based on performances. United declined to comment.

“United usually trigger the plus one options in these contracts to retain the player’s services, as they did with Jesse Lingard and Paul Pogba in recent years, or sell on, as they did with Fred. But United didn’t with David de Gea, allowing him to depart, and are unlikely to with Anthony Martial, as The Athletic reported earlier this week.”

Manchester United’s early exit from Europe could impact their dealings in the January transfer window, the Daily Mail reports. After finishing bottom of their Champions League group, United will not even play in the Europa League after Christmas.

The club had forecast reaching the quarter-finals of the Champions League, leaving them £28m short, and so they may have to sell players first before any potential incomings, although how active they are in the January window – beyond looking to loan out Donny van de Beek and Jadon Sancho – remains to be seen.

The Mail adds: “The club's European debacle will definitely have an impact on the amount of money available for new signings in the summer, regardless of Sir Jim Ratcliffe's £1.25bn investment in the club.

“It's difficult to put an exact figure on how much it has cost United because no-one knows how far they could have gone in the competition if they had qualified.

“However, the club budget on reaching the quarter-finals, and it's understood that the overall cost of not reaching that stage is around £28m in lost prize money, matchday revenue and broadcast income.”

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